


keep the phone running

by doofusface



Series: swingin' feelin' [1]
Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Identity Reveal, Not Canon Compliant, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), post-Homecoming, tw death mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-27 04:28:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13873125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doofusface/pseuds/doofusface
Summary: Michelle stops in front of him, her face betraying emotions similar to when he saw her in D.C.Similar, but worse.It’s obvious to everyone that what’s happening today is so. much. worse.





	keep the phone running

**Author's Note:**

> is it weird to've tagged this both canon compliant and canon non-compliant because it kind of is??
> 
> short and sweet and definitely a hot mess, you're welcome.
> 
> tw for death mention but it's v smol and not a big deal I promise

It happens in the middle of Chemistry, during a regular Wednesday, while the sun’s peeking out of the clouds for the first time in three days.

Peter’s messing around with web-shooter fluid while Ned covers for him, and he’s expecting to get to the Decathlon meeting right after class, pick up eggs on the way home, and sneak out at 10 for “extracurriculars” after his homework’s done.

He’s not expecting the PA system to turn on and announce that New York’s under attack. By a guy calling himself “Thanos”. “Classes are dismissed, but please proceed to the gym to await further announcements,” Principal Morita’s voice says over the speakers. The gym’s the designated shelter for this block—this is serious.

Peter grips the table as the students start filing out, and Ned gives him a panicked look.

 _What’s going on?_ it asks.

“Let’s go,” Peter replies, avoiding suspicion by dragging Ned to the sea of students in the hallway. He releases his friend with a secret nod, slowing down and ducking into a side hall as the rest of the student body continues on into the gym.

He feels his phone buzz in his pocket as he turns into another hall—glaringly empty at too early an hour.

This isn’t how today was supposed to go.

He picks up his phone. It’s Tony. “ _Kid, we’ve got a big problem._ ”

The fact that Tony sounds serious has him on edge, and the bounding energy he usually has settles for tight fidgeting as he sneaks his way to the school exit. “I heard,” he whispers. “Who’s Thanos?”

“ _A big problem_ ,” Tony replies, and Peter can hear the whirring machinery surrounding him. “ _We need you downtown. Sam will me—_ “

“Peter?”

Oh no.

Oh _no_.

“ _Oh no_ ,” Peter whispers to the phone, turning slowly. He gulps.

“ _Who was that?_ ”

“Mr. Stark, I gotta g—“

Michelle stops in front of him, her face betraying emotions similar to when he saw her in D.C.

Similar, but worse.

It’s obvious to everyone that what’s happening today is so. much. worse.

“You don’t have to hang up,” Michelle tells him simply.

“ _Peter?_ ” Tony asks through the phone.

Michelle nods at him. “I know.”

“Oh.”

“Be safe.”

“I’ll try.”

“ _Kid, world-ending catastrophe, hello?!_ ”

She doesn’t hug him, just places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes gently. “You’re a good dude, Peter. I don’t wanna have to tell everyone you’re dead.”

Peter stares at her face, then at her hand, then at his phone. She looks terrified, but she’s trying to make a joke, so _he_ probably looks terrified, too. He swallows. “Thanks, MJ.”

She turns him back towards the door, and gives him a gentle push. “Seriously, Ned’s gonna be a mess if you die. So don’t do that. I’ll cover for you.”

He just nods, raising the phone back to his ear. “I’ll be there soon, Mr. Stark.”

He hears a grunt in response and starts running.

Michelle’s gone when he turns, and he _really_ hopes he doesn’t die, because he’s seen her mad and it’s enough to scare the undead.

* * *

Peter doesn’t die.

Or, he _ultimately_ doesn’t, because there’s that weird time in the middle of everything where he kinda does, but he’s not going to tell _anyone_ about that.

(Except the therapist Tony’s forcing him to go to. And Steve. And Nat. And Sam. And everyone with a brain and experience with trauma.)

He _did_ have that thing where he saw his life flash before him, and all the important people he knew got little cutscenes like in movies. His parents. Uncle Ben. Aunt May. Ned. Tony. Heck, even Michelle: every worried voicemail and annoyed text from when he started Spider-Man-ing taking up most of her montage.

He’s a bad liar, but she’s pretty bad at _not_ caring, he realizes. She’s more attached to the Decathlon team than she lets on, for one. And she kept his secret, even if it would’ve been funnier not to. He tells Ned this and his main chairman (get it?) gets hyped up with theories as to _why_.

When school eventually starts back up, he makes a point to drag Ned over with him to her side of the table.

Peter takes a breath. “Hey.”

She doesn’t look up from her book.

“I didn’t die,” he tacks on after a few moments of silence. He’s keeping his voice low.

“Good,” she says emotionlessly.

Ned’s buzzing beside him, dying to ask her a hundred different questions. Peter clears his throat, and Ned stops.

“I see you’re finally learning to control your motormouth,” Michelle says evenly, finally looking up. She closes the book and places it on the table, sliding it over. “You should read this. Very useful.”

“ _King Lear_?” Ned asks. “How’s that supposed to help with—“ He catches himself: “—uh, Decathlon?”

Michelle smirks, giving an approving nod. They’re learning. “You never know.”

She leaves before they can say anything else, and Peter grabs the book.

“What is…” There’s a dozen little post-its in it, scattered within the pages, with what look like excuses for absences. _Believable_ excuses. Anyone seeing them at a glance would think they’re just study notes.

It’s brilliant.

“Peter, your face is doing the ‘puppy adoration’ thing,” Ned comments, returning to his lunch.

Oops.

“Is it?” he asks, schooling his face back to normal. “I, uh, didn’t mean to.”

Ned looks like he’s about to laugh. “Okay, man. You do you.”

This is going to be a fun year.

**Author's Note:**

> anyway pretend infinity war goes about vaguely how my brother's been explaining it to me since forever ago, which is: "death but NOT" and this will make more sense
> 
> dont read into the king lear thing, I picked a random work of willy shakes
> 
> come yell at me on doofwrites on tumblr


End file.
